The devil will be in details to be announced with CSX but so far appears apparently straight forward.
From WIKI:
The M&B was chartered on December 24, 1926. Construction advanced eastward to Myrtlewood, Alabama where it connected with the l&N in 1935. Now we know why Myrtlewood.
In 2003 the M&B took over the ex-L&N line from Myrtlewood to Selma, Alabama and the ex-Western Railway of Alabama line from Selma to Burkville west of Montgomery. CSX retained ownership between Montgomery and Burkville, where there is a large industrial customer. Right now murky ownership Burkeville - Myrtlewood but CSX filings will tell.
Now how CSX is taking over from Burkville - Myrtlewood will become clear in filings.
Could not find an aerial of Mytlewood but the big town of 2020 census 70 and 2010 of 120 probabl
At Montgomery traffic can head north for fast-growing Nashville, northeast to fast-growing Atlanta, or southeast to fast-growing Jacksonville and Florida.
With approximately 2/3 of the US population residing east of the Mississippi River and the general trend to near-shore manufacturing, a play for a single waybill from Mexico to the southeast consumer markets makes a lot of sense.
One wonders how long it will be before CPKC has to pay for capacity improvements along its trackage rights through Texas just as BNSF has had to do over Tehachapi.
My belief is that CSX retained ownership from Montgomery to Myrtlewood and leased it to the M&B to operate and maintain.
When it comes to routing traffice on CSX beyond Montgomery, the Bow Line is as best a 25 MPH streak of rust that is seriously overloaded with more than 2 through trains per day. Feature that through traffic would move Montgomery to Birmingham to Lagrange and onto Atlanta or Manchester and on to Waycross.
They could also connect the dots West of Dallas into Fort Worth and then Southwest to the Mexican border. Would require a lot of capital to upgrade that rail line but would make for a nice Southern mainline from Montgomery, AL
Correct Balt, CSX leased that portion to the MNBR. It’s not that CPKC may be buying it. CPKC will purchase the original portion of the route from Meridian to Myrtlewood. While CSX will terminate the lease between Myrtlewood and Burkville. MNBR will remain as a neutral switching entity similar to what is going on with the CSX-G&W-NS in relation to the PAR purchase.
The deal only relates to traffic between, Mexico-Laredo-Houston-ATL. Not DFW, as KCS-NS have an exclusive agreement for DFW-ATL traffic. Any CSX haulage rights between DFW-ATL would be a breach of contract becoming grounds for litigation against CPKC. Also remember NS-UP interline via Shreveport.
The Dothan Sub from Montgomery to Thomasville is 211 miles with 9 passing sidings - as of the 2005 Jacksonville Div ETT the longest of which was 7611 feet, with the majority being in the 6000 foot variety. It is all Dark territory with no signaling.
The balance of the Bow Line is the line from Thomasville to Waycross. 107 miles with 6 passing sidings with 7300 feet being the shortest. The Thomasville Sub is also Dark territory.
At least when I was working - the bulk of the capacity expansion that CSX was doing was on subdivision other than the Bow Line. At one point in time the Operating Plan had all through trains removed from the Bow Line - Local/Road Switchers only. That came to an abrupt change when a Officers Inspection Special used over 24 hours to run from Birmingham to Waycross over the Lineville and Fitzgerald Subs account train congestion on both of those subdivisions.
To make the Bow Line effective for more than a couple of through trains each was will require more than just laying welded rail on the main track. It will require effective 21st Century siding lengths as well as signalling.
Per a posting on another Railfan forum CPKC began lowering the track in their Meridian Yard to allow Doublestacks and Autoracks to pass under the viaduct leading to the M&B RR. This work began this past Sunday, June 25th.
Going west from Waycross, the sidings of Boston, Climax, Donalsonville, Dillard and Youngblood are all being extended. Donalsonville is already completed and measures just under 15,000ft long, the rest will all be at minimum 13,000ft long. The sidings are all using #15 turnouts with 136lb rail too. PTC is also active on the entire route and welded rail along the entire route is almost complete. CSX has been putting a lot of money into the Bowline the past 3 years. They must have some big plans for it. Quite the change of pace for a line that looked to be sold off in 2018.
Thank you for that. I haven’t been up that way in a dog’s age. Having lived through the CSX scorched earth campaign of the mid-80’s it’s gratifying to see something making a comeback.
This continues to look like a smart move for CPKC and CSX.
Looking at the southern portion of CSX, the CPKC Meridian Speedway with the Meridian & Bigbee looks like the trunk of a tree with major limbs spreading from Montgomery to Tennessee, Montgomery to Georgia-North Carolina-South Carolina, and Montgomery to Florida, all of which are among the fastest-growing states in the nation.
I had a house in Shreveport at the time KCS took over from Mid-South, and the premise was always that the Speedway was intended to facilitate through traffic over this or other expedient route.
Suspect it is happening now because of CP’s additional access to suitable sources of capital. Expect it to happen soon, and happen right.
It’s a safe bet NS will be keeping a very close eye on what traffic is rolling over their investment on the Meridian Speedway. CPKC should be, and likely will be, proactive with investment in capex to assuage NS and mollify the STB. Likewise, NS could see the opportunity for further partnerships, say, KC to Detroit?
Had no idea that CSX is doing major upgrades of the BOW line. Balt’s post of how it was when he retired was my understanding. Not now apparently. This in my opinion will mitigate any need to route traffic over the coast line Flomaton - Pensacola - Cottondale -Tallahassee - Jacksonville (Balwin)) route for CSX. Bow line enroute will be quicker.
Bow line will cover Pannama City traffic from Dothan, Tallahassee traffic from Bainbridge, AN traffic still will operate same route(s).
What is more important that the deteoriation of the coast line from Pensacola <> JAX will be many cofin nails into any Sunset East train ever get restored.
The CSX - CPAK route especially to Houston and East Texas will decrease the problems at NOL and reduce all coast line potential traffic. All this new routing is either alreay PTC or will get same. No need to install it on the coast line Flomaton Pensacola for sure to - JAX!